adminThe annual event will have seven men’s teams from Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and hosts Zimbabwe competing for honours and six women’s teams from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and Zimbabwe vying for the title. Teams started arriving for the Games on Monday with men’s defending champions Shaikia Club of Egypt being the first to jet in.
The two Kenyan women’s hockey teams arrived yesterday in Harare and proceeded to Bulawayo by road and were expected in the City of Kings last night.
In a telephone interview yesterday, the Hockey Association of Zimbabwe secretary Sarah Bennett said the stage is set for the competition.
“The local organising committee in Bulawayo has done a tremendous job in making sure that everything is set for the Africa Cup Club Championships. We are hoping to have a successful event just like last year’s Olympic qualifiers.
“As for the teams, Egypt, the Ghanaians and the Kenyans are in the country. Actually Kenya arrived in the afternoon and they are on transit to Bulawayo. The Nigerian teams are expected tomorrow (today),” said Bennett.
The championships will be the second major event that Khumalo Hockey Stadium plays host to in a space of a year after the 2012 London Olympic Games African Hockey qualifiers which were held in September last year. The men’s category is made up of defending champions Shaikia Club of Egypt, Ghana duo of Golden Sticks and Trustees Hockey Club, Niger Flickers and Yobe Warriors of Nigeria and Zimbabwe’s representatives Hippo Hockey Club and Hullets.
Nigeria’s Custom Ladies, Telkom Orange and Strathmore University of Kenya, Heartland Queens also from Nigeria and the Bulawayo Athletic Club are the teams that have confirmed that they will compete in the women’s category.
Online Reporter